Combination road and railway vehicles



July 10, 1962 D. CLEJAN 3,043,242

COMBINATION ROAD AND RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed May 18, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 FIG! INVENTOR. DEODAT CLEJAN July 10, 1962 D. 'CLEJAN 3,

COMBINATION ROAD AND RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed May 18, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 n 5 3 a r \Q -IIIIIIII I k w v ---llllll ll m V a 2 INVENTOR.

k DEODAT CLEJAN BY 6 43M 6 FIG.4

July 10, 1962 D. CLEJAN 3,043,242

COMBINATION ROAD AND RAILWAY VEHICLES 4 SheetsSheet 3 Filed May 18, 1960 INVENTOR.

DEODA T CLEJAN July 10, 1962 D. CLEJAN 3,043,242

COMBINATION ROAD AND RAILWAY VEHICLES Filed May 18, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 mmvroa. n -/04 TVWIZ I DEODATCLEJAN BY Filed May 18, 1960, Ser. No. 30,002 2 Claims. (Cl. 105-215) The present invention relates to combination road and railway vehicles, and more particularly to such vehicles of the semi-trailer type that are especially equipped to be carried upon a railway car of the general construction and arrangement of that disclosed in the copending application of Deodat Clejan, Serial No. 861,291, filed December 22, 1959.

Road semi-trailers are conventionally provided with dual rear axles that are equipped with dual road wheels, in the form of pneumatic tires that have either a relatively small radius (about 2.0") or a relatively large radius (about 22"); and in order to facilitate simple and rapid loading and unloading of such semi-trailers with respect to a railway car of the character noted, it is necessary further to equip the rear axles thereof with flanged rollers that cooperate with the center sill of the railway car mentioned for guiding and mounting purposes. Since the road wheelsof the two difierent sizes noted are both standard in the trucking industry, it has been necessary heretofore to provide two entirely different mounting arrangements for the rollers mentioned; which, of course, has led to undesirable expense in the maintenance of inventories of the difierent parts of the two mounting arrangements mentioned.

Accordingly, it is a general object of the inventionto provide in a combination road and railway vehicle, a universal mounting arrangement for the rollers mentioned that may be employed therein, regardless of the size of the road wheels thereof, while maintaining a low center of gravity of the vehicle in its mounted position upon the railway car, and while preserving adequate and proper clearance between the road wheels thereof and other parts of the railway car, so as to insure that the vehicle is supported in its mounted position upon the rollers mentioned and entirely independently of the road wheels thereof.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a combination road and railway semi-trailer, an improved arrangement for accommodating mounting of the semi trailer upon a cooperating railway car, so as to preserve a low center of gravity of the semi-trailer in its mounted position and proper clearance between the road wheels thereof and the other parts of the railway car while preserving ready movement of the semi-trailer in its mounted position upon the railway car in order to minimize the transmission of longitudinal shocks from the railway car to the semi-trailer.

A further object of the invention is to provide a mounting arrangement of the character described that is of improved and simplified construction and arrangement.

Further features of the invention pertain to the particular arrangement of the elements of the combination road and railway vehicle and of the mounting arrangement thereof, whereby the above-outlined and additional operating features thereof are attained.

The invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will best be understood by reference to the following specification, taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fractured side elevational view of a freight transportation system including a railway car carrying two combination road and railway vehicles of the semi-trailer type, and embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged lateral sectional view of the railway car, taken in the direction of the arrows, along the line 2-2 in FIG. 1, and illustrating the mounting arrangement for the semi-trailer carried by the railway car;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view taken through the railway car and the mounted semi-trailer, and illustrating the arrangement of the parts thereof in the case when the rear axles of the semitrailer are equipped with road wheels, in the form of pneumatic tires of relatively large radius;

FIG. 4 is another enlarged fragmentary longitudinal sectional view, identical to FIG. 3, but illustrating the arrangement of the parts mentioned in the case when the rear axles of the semi-trailer are equipped with road wheels, in the form of pneumatic tires of relatively small radius;

FIG. 5 is a greatly enlarged fragmentary lateral sectional view of the parts mentioned, taken in the direction of the arrows, along the line 5 --5 in FIG. 3; and

FIG. 6 is another greatly enlarged fragmentary lateral sectional view of the parts mentioned, taken in the direction of the arrows along the line 6--6 in FIG. 4.

Referring now to FIG. 1 of the drawings, the freight transportation system there illustrated comprises a railway car 100 carrying two combination road and railway vehicles 200 and 300 that incorporate mounting arrangements embodying the features of the present invention. More particularly, the railway car 100 is of the universal type in that it is adapted to support and to transport indiscriminately road semi-trailers of first and second types. Specifically; a road semi-trailer of the first type comprises a road semi-trailer essentially including a chassis provided with a rear end carrying road wheels and a front end carrying both a king pin and a front landing gear, as well as a body adapted to receive the cargo that is to be transported; whereas a road semi-trailer of the second type comprises :a road semi-trailer essentially including the above-described structure, and further including at the rear end thereof dolly mechanism including track rollers. Accordingly, it will be understood that a road semi-trailer of the first type is entirely conventional and is unequipped with respect to the dolly mechanisms mentioned; whereas a road semi-trailer of the second type is entirely conventional, except for the incorporation therein of the dolly mechanisms mentioned. Thus, hereinafter, a road semitrailer of the first type is referred to as an unequipped trailer, while a road semi-trailer of the second type is referred to as an equipped trailer. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, both of the road semi-trailers 200, and 300 are of the second type, since the rear axles thereof are equipped with dolly mechanisms.

Also road semi-trailers may be classified into two classes, depending upon the size of the road wheels carried by the rear axles thereof. Specifically, such a semitrailer equipped with standard relatively large road wheels of about 22" radius is hereinafter referred to as being of the first class; whereas a semi-trailer equipped Y 3 with standard relatively small road wheels of about 20" radius is hereinafter referred to as being of the second class. Accordingly, as illustrated in FIG. 1, the road semi-trailer 200 is of the first class and the road semitrailer 300 is of the secondclass.

Recapitulating: the road semi-trailer 200 is of the second type, since the rear axles thereof are equipped with rolly mecharisrns, and is of the first class, since the road wheels thereof are of relatively large radius; on the other hand, the road semi-trailer 300 is of the second type, since the rear axles thereof are equipped with dolly mechanisms, and is of the second class, since the road wheels thereof are of relatively small radius. a

More specifically, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the road semi-trailer 200 comprises a chassis carrying laterally extending and longitudinally spaced-apart dual rear axles :201 and 202, the rear axle 201 being referred to as the rear-rear axle and the rear axle 202 being referred to as the front-rear axle; the opposite ends of each of the rear axles 201 and 202 carry dual road wheels, each in the form of pneumatic tires; and each of the road wheels 203 is of relatively large radius of about 22'. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 4, the road semi-trailer 300 comprises a chassis carrying laterally extending and longitudinally spaced-apart dual rear axles, the rear axle 301 being referred to as the rear-rear axle and the rear axle 302 being referred to as the front-rear axle; the opposite ends of each of the rear axles 301 and 302 carry dual road wheels 303 each in the form of a pneumatic tire; and each of the road Wheels 303 is of relatively small radius'of about 20". Before proceeding with further descriptionv of the structural details of the semi-trailers 200 and 300, it is noted that preferably the railway car 100 is of the con= struction and arrangement of that disclosed in the previously mentioned copending application 7 of Deodat Clejan; whereby the railway car 100 comprises, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a longitudinally extending center sill 101 of hollow box-like construction supported attthe ends thereof by a pair of trucks 102 of standard rail gauge that cooperate with an associated railway track 103, also of standard rail gauge. The center sill 101 essentially comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart I-beams 104 that are suitably connected 7 together at a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart points by a corresponding plurality of cross braces 105.

The top flanges 106 of the I-beams 104 constitute a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart rails provided on the top of the center sill 101 and constituting a trackway of given narrow gauge. Also, the

railway car 100 comprises a pairof longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart platforms 107 respectively carried by the outer sides of the webs of the I- beams 104 and respectivelyprojecting outwardly therefrom and disposed below the top flanges 106 and constituting a roadway of standard road gauge. In thearrangement, each of the platforms 107 is supported by a plurality of longitudinally spaced-apart and laterally outwardly projecting cantilever beams 108 disposed there- 'below in supportingrelation therewith, the inner ends of the beams 108 being rigidlysecured, as by welding, to

the outer side of the web of the associatedv 'I-beam 1014.

'Specifically, each of the platforms 107 is of'fabricated structure and of substantially box-like. configuration, including an outer downwardly turned flange 109 and an inner upwardly turned flange 110, as well as a number ofinteirmediate longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart sills 111. Also, the railway car 100 comprises Pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart wheel guide rails 112 respectively carried upon the extreme l PPer ends of the upwardly directed flanges 110 provided on the inner edges of the platforms 107. Each of the wheel guide rails 112 is preferably of, substantially tubular form and is secured, as by welding, upon the extreme upper end of the associated upwardly directed flange 110; whereby each of the wheel guide rails 112 is disposed below the adjacent rail 106 carried on the top of the associated I-beam 104 and above the top of the associated platform 107. Also, each of the wheel guide rails 112 is disposed laterally outwardly of the adjacent rail 106 and laterally inwardly of the inner edge of the associated platform 107 and presents a smooth outwardly facing rubbing surface to the adjacent inner surface of the inner road wheel carried 'by an unequip-ped semi-trailer; which arrangement is utilized for a purpose more fully explained hereinafter.

In view of the foregoing, it will be understood that a road semi-trailer of the first type (an unequipped semitrailer), is supported in its mounted position upon the railway car upon its road wheels in engagement with the platforms 107; whereas a road semi-trailer of the second type (an equipped semi-trailer), is supported in its mounted position upon the railway car 100 upon its dolly mechanisms, described'moi'e fully hereinafter, and with its road wheels spaced above and out of contact with the platforms 107. I a 7 Again referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and 3, the rear-rear axle 201 of the semi-trailer 200 carries a pair of laterally spaced-apart saddles 211 securely fastened thereto, as by welding, and disposed intermediate the adjacent inner road wheels 203, and respectively arranged left and right; and similarly, the front-rear axle 202 carries a pair of laterally spaced-apart saddles 212 securely fastened thereto, as by welding, and 'disposed'intermediate the adjacent inner road wheels 203 and respectively arranged left and right. In the arrangement, the pair of saddles 211 and the pair of saddles 212 are preferably identically constructed; and each of the saddles 211 embraces the engaged lower portion of the rear-rear axle 201, while each of the saddles 212 embraces the engaged lower portion of the front-rear axle 202. 7

Each of a pair of trucks 221 respectively cooperates with the rear-rear saddles 211, the trucks being respectively arranged left and right; which trucks 221 are respectively secured to the rear-rear saddles 211 by a pair of cooperating pins 231, as shown in FIG. 5 and as explained more fully hereinafter. Each of the trucks 221 carries two spaced-apart flanged rollers 222 respectively disposed in front of the rear-rear axle 201 and in rear of the rear-rear axle 201, as shown in FIG. 3. In the lefthand truck 221, the two left rollers222 are disposed in longitudinal alignment and located inwardly with respect to the associated left inner road wheel 203; and in the right-hand truck 221, the'two right rollers 222 are disposed in longitudinal alignment :and located inwardly with respect to the associated right inner road wheel 203. The two flanges respectively carried byrthe left rollers 222 are respectively disposed on the outer sides thereof adjacent to the associated left inner'road wheel 203, and the two flanges respectively carried by the right rollers 222 are respectively disposed on the outer sides thereof adjacent to the associated right inner road wheel 203; whereby the two pairs of rollers 222 are inwardly facing and are adapted to straddle and to engage the two rails 106' of the longitudinally extending track provided by the center sill 101 of the railway car 100, with the flanges 0(f1 the two'pairs of rollers 222 guiding upon the outside e ges V of the road-wheelst203 carried thereby and with the two 7 pairs of road wheels 7203 respectively projecting laterally outwardly on opposite sides of the track mentioned during railway operation ofthe semi-trailer 200. '1

Two flanged dolly wheels 241 are respectively carried by the front-rear saddles 212; which dolly Wheels241are respectively secured to the' front-rear saddles 212'by a pair of cooperating pins 251, as shown in FIG". 3.

4 The left dolly wheel 241 is located inwardly with. respect to the associated left inner'road wheel 203 and is disposed below the front-rear axle 202; and the right of the rails .106 engaged thereby so as to support 7 the rear-rear axle 201 upon the track 106 independently dolly wheel 241 is located inwardly with respect to the associated right inner road wheel 203 and is disposed below the front-rear axle 2 32. The flanges respectively carried by the dolly wheels 241 are respectively disposed on the outer sides thereof adjacent to the associated inner road wheels 203; whereby the dolly wheels 241 are inwardly facing and are adapted to straddle and to engage the two rails 106 of the cooperating longitudinally extendirrg track provided by the center sill 101 of the associated railway car 100 with the flanges on the dolly wheels 241 guiding upon the outer edges of the rails 106 engaged thereby so as to support the front-rear axle 202 upon the track mentioned independently of the road wheels 203 carried thereby and with the same respectively projecting laterally outwardly on opposite sides of the track during railway operation of the semi-trailer 200.

Again referring to FIG. 5, the rear-rear saddle 211 essentially comprises a steel forging including a pair of laterally spaced-apart side arms 213, in which there is arranged an upper pair of aligned holes 214 and in which there is arranged a lower pair of aligned holes 215. Similarly, the truck 22'1 essentially comprises a steel for ing including -a pair of laterally spaced-apart side arms 223 in which there is arranged an upper pair of aligned holes 224 and in which there is arranged a lower pair of aligned holes 225. In the assembly, the pair of side arms 223 is disposed in the space between the pair of side arms 213; and in the present case, the truck 221 occupies its low position with respect to the rear-rear saddle 211; whereby the pin 231 is inserted into the upper aligned holes 214 and 224 respectively provided in the side arms 213 and 223; which arrangement constitutes a low connection for the truck 221 with respect to the rear-rear saddle 211. When this low connection of the truck 221 with respect to the rear-rear saddle 21 1 is employed, as shown in FIG. 5, the truck 221 is disposed a relatively great distance below the rear-rear axle 201, thereby to cause the flanged rollers 222 when in engagement with the cooperating rail 106, to position the adjacent left road wheels 203 above the adjacent platform 207 disposed therebelow.

Recapitulating: in the semi-trailer 200 that is equipped with the relatively large radius road Wheels 203, the trucks 221 are carried by the rear-rear saddles 211 by the low connectors including the pins 231; and similarly, the dolly wheels 241 of relatively large radius are carried by the front-rear saddles 212, employing the pins 251. This arrangement of the trucks 221 in their low positions and the dolly wheels 241 of relatively large radius insures that the rear-rear axle 201 and the front-rear axle 202 are supported sufliciently high above the track rails 106 carried by the center sill '101 of the railway car 100, so that the road wheels 203 of relatively large diameter are positioned above and out of contact with the platforms 107, while preserving a low center of gravity of the supported semi-trailer 200 upon the railway car 100.

Referring now to FIGS. 1, 4 and 6, the semi-trailer 300 is equipped with the relatively small radius road wheels 303, as previously noted; whereby in this case, the pair of trucks 321 is secured to the rear-rear saddles 311 by the pair of cooperating pins 331, with the trucks 321 in their high positions with respect to the rear-rear saddles 311, and the pair of dolly wheels 341 is of relatively small radius and is respectively secured to the pair of frontrear saddles 312 by the respectively cooperating pins 351. In order to secure the truck 321 to the rear-rear saddle 311 in its high position with respect thereto by the cooperating pin 331, it is only necessary, as shown in FIG. 6, to insert the pin 331 through the lower aligned holes 315 and 325 respectively formed in the side'arms 313 and 323 of the respective rear-rear saddle 31-1 and the truck 321.

eoapitulating: in the semi-trailer 300'that is equipped with the relatively small radius road wheels 303, the trucks 321 are carried by the rear-rear saddles 311 by the high connectors, including the pins 331; and similarly, the dolly wheels 34-1 of relatively small radius are carried by the front-rear saddles 312, employing the pins 351. This arrangement of the trucks 321 in their high positions and the dolly wheels 341 of relatively small radius insures that the rear-rear axle 301 and the front-rear axle 302 are supported sufficiently high above the track rails 106 carried by 'the center sill 101 of the railway car so that the rear wheels 303 of relatively small diameter are positioned above and out of contact with the platforms 107, while preserving a low center of gravity of the supported semi-trailer 300 upon the railway car 100.

Again referring to FIG. 2, preferably the center sill 101 of the railway car 100 incorporates a pair of longitudinally spaced-apart shock-absorbing mechanisms of the general construction and arrangement as disclosed in the co pending application of Deodat Clejan, Serial No. 593,848, filed June 26, 1956, now Patent No. 2,944,492, granted July 12, 1960; which shock-absorbing mechanisms respectively cooperate with the two semi-trailers 200 and 300. As illustrated in FIG. 2, the shock-absorbing mechanism that cooperates with the semi-trailer 200 essentially comprises a pair of longitudinally extending and laterally spaced-apart shafts 121 that are slidably mounted upon the respectively associated webs of the Lbeams 104 by respective cushioning devices, not shown. Also, the shafts 121 are mounted for rotation about the axes thereof, and are operatively connected together by a laterally extending operating shaft 122 that is supported by two gimbal mechanisms 123 respectively carried by the two shafts 121. Also, the two shafts 121 respectively carry two hooks 124 that are adapted to cooperate with the trucks 221 carried by the rear-rear axle 201 of t -e semi-trailer 200.

More particularly, when the operating shaft 122 is rotated in one direction, the shock-absorbing shafts 1121 are rotated with respect to each other in a first direction so as to project the hooks 124 from their normal and disengaged positions disposed below the track rails 106 into their operated and engaged positions illustrated in FIG. 2 and disposed above the track rails 106 and in cooperating relation with respect to the two trucks 221. On the other hand, when the operating shaft 121 is rotated in the opposite direction, the shock-absorbing shafts 121 are rotated with respect to each other in a second direction, so as to withdraw the hooks 124- from their projected positions, illustrated in FIG. 2, back into their Withdrawn positions. Also, the mechanism 120 carries a latch device, indicated at 125, that is employed for the purpose of restraining the operating shaft 122 in its adjusted position operating the hooks 124 into their projected post-ions, thereby to insure that the projected hooks 124 are restrained in their projected and latched positions with respect to the cooperating trucks 221.

Referring now more particularly to FIGS. 2 and 6, it will be observed that each of the trucks 221 and 321 is provided with an inwardly extending latchkeeper section disposed in cooperating relation with respect to the associated hook 124. Specifically, as illustrated in FIG. 6, the truck 321 comprises the latchkeeper section 325 that projects inwardly over the associated track rail 106 and over the associated shock-absorbing shaft 121; which latchkeeper section 325 comprises an upstanding latch bar 326 that is overhooked and engaged by the extreme outer hooked end of the hook 124.

In view of the foregoing explanation of the mode of operation of the shock-absorbing mechanism 120 incorporated in the center sill 101 of the railway car 100, it will be understood that when the semi-trailer 200 is in its proper supported position upon the railway car 100, it is carried upon the track rails 106 by the rollers 222 provided in the trucks 221 carried by the rear-rear saddles 211 and by the dolly wheels 241 carrying the front-rear saddles 212. Moreover, at this time, the shock-absorbing, mechanism 120 may be selectively operated to latch and to release the mounted semi-trailer 200, in the manner previously explained by virtue of the cooperation between the hooks 124 and the trucks 221. During railroad operation of the semi-trailer 200 in its mounted position upon the railway car 100, longitudinal shocks between the railway car 100 and the mounted semitrailer 200 are adsorbed by the shock-absorbing mechanism 120, by virtue of the fact that the semi-trailer 200 is capable of limiting longitudinal rolling movements along the track rails 106 upon the rollers 222 and the dolly wheels 241, with the resulting absorption of the shock energy by the shock-absorbing devices operatively associated with the shock-absorbing shafts 121. This arrangement is very advantageous, since it minimizes the transmission of longitudinal shocks to the mounted semitrailer 200, thereby minimizing damage to the cargo housed in the body thereof during the railway transportation operation.

' Of course, it will be understood that the shock-absorbing mechanism incorporated in the railway car 100 and cooperating with the semi-trailer 300 afiords similar shock-protection to the mounted semi-trailer 300, since the mounted semi-trailer 300 is also capable of the presemi-trailers of the first type (the unequipped semitrailers) during railway operation are mounted upon their road wheels cooperating with the platforms 107 and are afforded the shock-protection by the action of the cooperating shock-absorbing mechanisms incorporated in the railway car 100, in a manner similar to that explained above.

Furthermore, it will be appreciated that a semi-trailer of the first type (an unequipped semi-trailer), regardless of the class thereof, is mounted for the previously described rolling movements upon the trucks and dolly wheels carried thereby with a minimum low center of gravity with respect to the railway car 100,- consistent withadequate clearance of the road wheels carried thereby with respect to the platforms 107 carried by the railway car 100, For example, as shown in FIG. 5,. the radius of each of the relatively large road wheels 203 may be '22", as previously noted, and the clearance between the lower surface of each of the road wheels 203 and the adjacent upper surface of the associated platform 107 may be 1 whereby, in this case, the mounting arrangement described is productive of a total vertical distance of 23" between the center line of the rear axles 201 and 203 of the semi-trailer 200 and the adjacent upper surfaces of the platforms 107 carried by the railway car 100. Similarly, as shown in FIG. 6, the radius of each of the relatively small road-wheels 303 may be 20", as previously noted, and the clearance between the lower surface of each of the road wheels 303 and the adjacent upper surface of the associated platform 107 may be 1";'where- .by in this case, the mounting arrangement described is productive of a vertical distance of 21" between the center line of the rear axles 301 and 303 of the semi-trailer.

300 and the adjacent upper surfaces of the platforms 107 carried by the railway car 100.

Accordingly, it will be appreciated'that the high'posi tion of the truck 321, as established by the position of the pm 331, as shown in FIG. 6, brings about a'first predetermined distance between the position of the truck 321 and the center line of the rear-rear axle 301; while the low position of the truck 221, as established by the position of the pin 231, as shown in FIG. 5, brings about a second predetermined distance between the position of the truck 221 and the center line of the rear-rear axle 201; wherein the second predetermined distance mentioned is 2" greater than the first predetermined distance mentioned. Also, coordinate with these dimensions, the radius of the relatively large dolly wheel 241 is greater than the radius of the relatively small dolly wheel 341 by 2".

In passing, it is noted that the radii of the various road wheels 20-3 and 303, the radii of the various dolly wheels- 241 and 341, the clearances and the various distances,

' all as explained above, are set forth, by way of example,

'viously described limited longitudinal rolling movements and not by way of limitation, for the purpose of a clear description of the fundamental features of the mounting arrangement, as described above.

In view of the foregoing,'it is apparent that there has been provided in a combination road and railway vehicle, including a chassis'provided with a laterally extending axle carrying at the opposite ends thereof, a pair of road wheels, wherein the road wheels may have either a relatively small radius or a relatively large radius, an improved and simplified mounting arrangement for-accommodating the support of the vehicle upon an associated cooperating railway car; whereby there is achieved a minimum low center of gravity of the vehicle in its mounted position upon the railway car, while preserving adequate clearance between the road wheels carried by the vehicle and the other parts of the railway car.

While there has been described what i is at present considered to be the preferred embodiment of the invention, it will be understood that various modifications may be made therein, and it is intended to cover in the appended claims all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of the invention. e

What is claimed'is:

1. A combination road and railway vehicle comprising a chassis provided with a laterally extending axle carrying at the opposite ends thereof a pair of road wheels,

wherein said road wheels may have either a first rela-' rnined increment, and a pair of laterally spaced-apart rolling supports both disposed below and securely fastened to said axle intermediate said road wheels and respectively arranged left and right; each of said rolling supports including a saddle both disposed below and securely fastened to said axle adjacent to the associated road wheel and having a depending saddle arm, a truck disposed below and in cooperating relation with said saddle and having an upstanding truck arm, said truck carrying, two spaced-apart flanged rollers respectively disposedin front of said axle and in rear of said axle in longitudinal alignment and located inwardly with respect to the associated road wheel, the two flanges respectively carried by said rollers being respectively disposed on the outer sides thereof adjacent to the associated road wheel, and means including a single pin having a diameter of the order of said predetermined increment for pivotally interconnecting said saddle arm and said truck arm, said pin cooperating with a first hole set provided in said arms to establish a high position of said truck disposed a rela tively small distance below said axle and cooperating with a second hole set provided in said arms to establish a low position of said truck disposed a relatively great distance below said axle, the distance between said high position and said low position being substantially equal to said predetermined increment, lwhereby the vertical distance between the lower surface of an adjacent road wheel of said first relatively small radius andthe lower surfaces of said rollers when said truck is in its high position and the vertical distance between the lower surface of an adjacent road wheel ofsaid second relatively large radius 10 keeper being disposed above the lower surfaces ot said rollers so as to prevent interference by said latch keeper with the frame of the associated railway car during railway operation of said vehicle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,834,608 Wixson May 13, 1958 10 2,905,104 Bounds Sept. 22, 1959 2,949,865 De Grandpre Aug. 23, 1960 

